Research: See why oldest man is always smiling
The world’s oldest living man says the secret to a long, satisfying life is twofold: Smile a lot, and let go of anger.
Chitetsu Watanabe of Japan will be 113 on March 5 and was recently named the oldest living male by Guinness World Records. The oldest living woman, also Japanese, is 117.
Watanabe told reporters his secret to longevity is “not to get angry and keep a smile on your face.”
Diet may help. He worked for a sugar company for many years and loves sweets, but his diet includes a lot of vegetables. Watanabe was an active gardener, cultivating his own fruits and vegetables until he turned 104.
Kane Tanaka, the world’s oldest living person, was born in 1903 – the same year the Wright brothers achieved powered flight. Tanaka is a cancer survivor who told Guinness World Records she keeps her mind sharp by learning, doing math exercises and reading daily.
These two are part of a demographic called “super-agers,” those over 90 (sometimes including those over 80) with mental or physical capabilities comparable to people decades younger. Two studies of super-agers presented in 2018 suggest humans may be evolving to live longer, and that if we’re lucky enough to pass 105, we’re more likely to keep going.
The ongoing “90+ Study” has examined thousands since 2003. Participants aged 90 and older are tested every six months. Some of the findings were surprising:
• People who drank moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee lived longer than those who abstained.
• Those overweight in their 70s live longer than normal or underweight people. This isn’t true at younger ages; the researchers surmised that’s because being skinny in advanced years tends to be counterproductive.
• About half of those with dementia over age 90 don’t have sufficient neuropathology in their brains to explain it.
Other findings confirm well-known life extenders:
• Friends extend life: Strong relationships are a key predictor in longevity.
• More than 40 percent of those 90 and older suffer from dementia, and nearly 80 percent in that age group are at least partly disabled. Both are more common in women.
• Just 15 minutes of daily exercise increases life span, and more helps. Past 45 minutes of exercise there was no additional effect.
Reported in the Journal Science in June 2018, another study of nearly 4,000 Italians aged 105 and older (the majority of whom were female, as females tend to live longer) identified a plateau point in human aging. Death rates increase exponentially up to about age 80 then decelerate, the researchers found, hitting a plateau after age 105.
And don’t skip the Ghastly Groaners in your local newspaper.
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old. You grow old when you stop laughing.” — George Bernard Shaw
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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network who’ll never grow old, married to the King of Groaners. Send more if you got ’em to Sholeh@cdapress.com.